21. The Great Depression

Complaints:  Left – didn’t go far enough to remake society, Right – created welfare state

I. Wall Street Crash – started business depression home/abroad unprecedented
    A. 5000 banks collapse, 25% unemployed nationwide
    B. Hoover’s reaction – “rugged individualism” – locals gov’t and indiv. Take care of selves
    C. Depression Economy – Hoover actually pioneered New Deal – just didn’t market it properly
        1. Created public works projects - $2.25 billion – Hoover Dam
        2. Reconstruction Finance Corporation – gave loans to needy
        2. Fought against anti-union behavior
        3. But…didn’t have help from Congress – couldn’t pass a lot
        4. Set important precedent that FDR would take further
    D. Hawley Smoot Tariff – 38% to 60% - world responds with similarly high tariffs – out of control

II. Moods of Despair
A. Bonus Army – Bonus Expeditionary Force – demand payment of 1945 retirement money
        1. 20,000 march on Washington – set up Hoovervilles – 2 die
2. Riots put down by General Douglas MacArthur – tear gas – injured – Hoover looks bad

III. Franklin D. Roosevelt – 1921 paralyzed, wife Eleanor – “conscience of New Deal” –
    A. Loved by liberals – golden speaking voice – “traitor to his class”
    B. New Deal – for “forgotten man” – Brain Trust – relief, recovery, reform
    C. 100 days – “alphabet agencies”- based on Progressive Movement
1. unemployment insurance, old age insurance, minimum wage, conservation, child labor
2. Created jobs – CCC, CWA, FERA
    D. Critics – either too autocratic or not going far enough
1. Father Charles Coughlin – Catholic Priest
2. Huey Long – Kingfish – “Share our Wealth” “Every Man a King” – assassinated
3. Court packing – Supreme Court sees practices as socialist – add 6 judges because tired
    a. Seen as dictator – destroying checks and balances – but courts start changing > liberal
4. Some graft and abuses, depression still exists in 36 (hey that rhymes)
5. Capitalists – thought they were being punished
    a. Many say his programs saved capitalism, just got rid of abusers
    E. Rise of CIO – labor strikes – Roosevelt passes minimum  wage, max hour work week
        1. CIO emerges – 4 million members by 1940s – 200,000 blacks
        2. Seemed like civil war between AFL and CIO
    F. Recession of 1938 – eventually runs out of new programs – depression still exists
        1. “Spendocracy” – Keynes – run massive deficit spending – Keynesian
        2. National debt - $19 billion to $40 billion

IV. American People in the Depression
    A. Social values, women, ethnic groups – start working together – everyone suffering
        1. Eleanor Roosevelt – women first time have influence – Mary Dewson
            a. Frances Perkins – first cabinet –Secretary of Labor
        2. But women take women’s jobs to not take away job from male “breadwinners”
        3. Birth rates drop, men’s #1 role in family diminishes
    B. South – 1938 – worst section of nation – economics, schools, housing, income – blacks worst
    C. Indian Reorganization Act – slowed loss of Indian lands – encourages self- government
        1. Some thought it demeaning – “back to the blanket” – treated like museums
    D. Mexican-American Deportation – 1-2 million deported to free up jobs for “real” Americans